Smart Home Blog

Simplify Media released a new version of its software for mobile devices. That version includes following new features: using Amazon Web Service to search album art, getting artist bios from last.fm and lyrics from lyrics wiki, select Shuffle from the top of any song list, and the tracks from an album, a genre, an artist or a playlist will be randomized for your enjoyment.

Note that build 949 of Simplify Media Mobile is a recommended update for all iPhone and iPod Touch users with firmware 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3 and 1.1.4. Enjoy!

[via SimplifyMedia weblog]

As you may know LinuxMCE supports smartphones under Symbian OS 1st edition, Windows Mobile 2003 and Treo as mobile Orbiters to control your home. It uses Bluetooth to communicate with smarthome system. So, it’s too difficult port every time the code to the new version of mobile OS. So, a big fan of LinuxMCE Hari decided to develop the Orbiter on Java Mobile platform. In that case we can have universal code which can work even on ordinary mobile phone with support of Java and Bluetooth. The idea of Java Orbiter will be more attractive if you remember about Google’s Android.

The progress of development of JavaMO (Java Mobile Orbiter) you may see on the picture. It’s really cool work! To get the latest news about JavaMO, please, read that topic on the LinuxMCE forum. If you’d like to participate in development or investigate the code just checkout it from the SVN repository. All contributors are very welcome!

Nokia E65 is new and stylish mobile phone with built-in WiFi. But it has another cool feature – emulation of Cisco 7970. E65 can be connected to the Cisco Call Center as 7970. So, we decided to try add it to our Plutohome installation and see what’s happened. After a few hours of unsuccessful attempts we configured E65 as SIP phone and connected it to the Plutohome Asterisk. It works great! Now outside the office E65 is a mobile phone but near the Plutohome access point it allows to make cheap calls via Asterisk.

We didn’t give up with installation of emulator of Cisco 7970 in the E65. I don’t think that in might be useful (the XML Orbiter won’t provide wide functionality) but we try it again.

This is a good news for all MotoQ and Treo owners. According to that post on Pluthome forum next release (I hope) will include a Mobile Orbiter (PlutMO) for those Windows based smartphones (and maybe for all the rest) which will work over WiFi. Originally, those phones don’t have built-in WiFi adapter but they allow to use miniSD WiFi card. Currently Treo can be used as Mobile Orbiter with Bluetooth dongle. MotoQ uses different Bluetooth driver. As result, it doesn’t work with PlutoMO.

Support of Symbian 60 3rd edition is also pending task of Pluto developers. The latest phones use that OS. But PlutoMO doesn’t work with it. Developers promised to add support of latest Symbian soon (I’m afraid it wont be 2.0.0.45).

Currently following mobile phones can be used as PlutoMO:

• phones with symbian series 60, 1st ed ONLY;
• smartphones with windows mobile 2003;
• Treo 700W with windows mobile 2005.

P. S. If MotoQ and Treo will communicate with Pluto via WiFi the cool media feature ‘Follow Me’ will be lost.

D-Link released a new dual-mode phone line – V-Click. The new phones will allow to make calls via 900/1800/1900MHz GSM/GPRS networks or VoIP using available WiFi connection. There is a special button to enable/disable VoIP connection. Once enabled, users can make SIP-based VoIP calls or hit the web over the bundled Opera Mobile browser and 176×220 pixel display.

Key features include:

• Wi-Fi® profile roaming for uninterrupted service between wireless zones

• Opera Mobile™ browser for hot spot log-in and Web surfing

• Email functionality – 50 emails can be stored in up to 10 accounts

• Large color screen display with 176 by 220 pixels

• Sleek, compact form factor (height, 4.17″, width, 1.73″, depth, .75″; weight, 3.32 oz)

• Smart text input

• Talk time – up to 5 hours GSM, 2 hours 802.11 wireless mode

• Messages – up to 30 messages can be stored at 459 characters each

• Phonebook – up to 300 contacts

• Data storage – up to 24 megabytes for documents, images, music and video files.

• Tasks – stores up to 100 entries

• Calendar – up to 100 events, 160 letters per event

• Charging – 3 hours, first time charge 8 hours

• Compact design with internal antenna

• Power-saving mode for maximum standby and talk time

The V-CLICK dual-mode, tri-band mobile phone is scheduled to ship early next year at recomended price $599.99.

[via Engadget]